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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
 Posted - 14 May 2018 : 21:11:52
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This article from The Standard Newspaper,please see an example of this in the RELATED TOPIC BELOW which referred to my friend who has since died
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By Tabora Bojan
Yusupha Jaiteh, a pensioner and former national director of SOS, has said the former board of the Social Security and Housing and Finance Corporation must be prosecuted for helping Jammeh steal poor pensioners’ funds.
Speaking to The Standard on the sidelines of the recent pensioners’ congress at the Friendship Hotel, Bakau where a new board was elected, Jaiteh alleged that if the current revelations at the Janneh Commission are anything to go by, the board were responsible for the millions of dalasi unlawfully taken by the exiled former President Jammeh from the pensioners’ funds.
”They cannot blame everything on the nature of the regime because some people have stood their ground and rejected Jammeh’s evil intentions. So no one can be excused by saying that they could not refuse Jammeh,” he said.
According to Mr Jaiteh, the average pension for a pensioner is just D910 which he said cannot buy anything useful for the family.
“Yet Jammeh through the help of the SSFHC board took hundreds of millions from that money to waste it.
”What is more disheartening is that from what we heard from the commission, the SSHFC had lots of money and yet they were paying pensioners that pittance when they have enough to give to that monster to waste it,” Jaiteh said angrily.
He said no one can imagine how the poor pensioners’ funds could be used to buy rams for Jammeh or sponsor useless ventures.
”We all know that the federated pension scheme, the National Provident and industrial injuries compensation fund are financially rich institutions, because contributing institutions have to contribute by law only for one man to waste that money,” he added.
Jaiteh who also worked at the former Gambia National Insurance Company said Pensioner’s retirement fund has to be reviewed over specific periods but for the last seven years it has not been reviewed and pensioners are paid at the rate of seven years ago.
“How do you expect them to live and survive and they have families and kids,” he quizzed.
http://standard.gm/site/2018/05/14/pensioner-wants-jammeh-sshfc-board-
prosecuted-for-stealing/
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RELATED TOPIC:
http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15722
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2018 : 18:40:28
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Today I had a thought, (I do have them sometimes  )
PLEASE SEE THE RELATED TOPIC ABOVE LINK
I wonder if my friends wife can recover those lost payments for herself and my late friends children,IF she can,how would she proceed ?
I do have her details and can pass the information on,come on Bantaba experts try a post on this topic & make some suggestions,he did have in addition to his wife 8 children,now living in the usual Gambian style of MOST of the population !!! |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 16 May 2018 18:43:13 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2018 : 00:45:47
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Time to Occupy SSHFC to Save Our Money
By Madi Jobarteh
Since I started work 20 years ago my money is always saved at SSHFC so that when I retire I could enjoy my pension or when I die my children can benefit from my savings. Until now SSHFC gives me no incentives such as low cost housing or healthcare or transportation as a worker.
Rather what I see for the past 2 decades is how my savings were deliberately and immorally taken by Yaya Jammeh and the Board and Management of SSHFC to buy a hotel or a generator for Kanilai or fund activities of APRC.
I have seen how these parasites take my money to bail out public enterprises and institutions such as NAWEC, Gamcel, Ports and others. SSHFC invests our money into other ventures where it makes super profits yet I receive no benefits as the source and a direct shareholder of the corporation.
SSHFC does not seek my permission in the way it utilizes my money. It is because of me that SSHFC has become the richest parastatal in The Gambia.
Now that we have the new Gambia and there is new MD who wishes to turn things around only to see the entire Government refuse to support this man! While the staffs complain of the withdrawal of sugar and hajj packages they seem to forget that workers have died in this country without any rescue from SSHFC!
Why is State House - from the President to the Secretary General to the Minister of Finance cold footed in addressing this blatant indiscipline and abuse at SSHFC? Are they complicit in the misuse of workers’ money at SSHFC? Why are they not standing with a man who wishes to protect workers’ rights and welfare and ensure that workers enjoy their life savings?
It is high time we the workers also storm and occupy SSHFC to stand with MD Manjang! Let us organize and take charge of our life savings.
#Dafadoy! Occupy SSHFC! Now!! |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2018 : 18:08:39
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Building The New Gambia
A Commission of inquiry on SSHFC
By Madi Jobarteh
I confronted today for the first time Mohammed Manjang, the Managing Director of SSHFC after his office presented its annual report and financial statements before the Public Enterprises Committee of the National Assembly. In our discussion I made it clear to him that I do not support or oppose him neither do I support or oppose the staffs. Rather I stand for the Gambia and the rights and welfare of workers and to hold our public institutions and officials to account. I told him of the serious allegations against him that truly concern me and I want to hear from him. He gave convincing responses but I told him that was not enough for I would want to see real evidence. He has invited me to his office to follow up. I will visit him.
But listening to the presentation of their reports especially the Management Letter Report coupled with the concerns I have always had about SSHFC as well as the allegations levied against him by some members of staffs and his responses to those allegations I am more than convinced that Pres. Adama Barrow must institute a commission of inquiry on the institution. This commission is even more necessary given the longstanding impasse brewing in the institution with no apparent solution in sight. I do not think the appointment of a committee to look into these issues is the right move.
A commission of inquiry is necessary so that Gambians can publicly hear the true story of SSHFC directly from institutions and individuals, as staffs, board members, fund members, policymakers and beneficiaries among other stakeholders. In that way we will establish the truth on our own. So far State House and the Ministry of Finance as well as the SSHFC Board have shown that they either lack the willingness or capability or both to address this issue. It appears many stakeholders have also taken sides hence leaving this matter to a committee could be compromised. Hence a commission is necessary to ensure fair play, justice and truth.
But coming to the external auditor’s report I am more than flabbergasted to learn about very concerning issues. For example the report highlighted weak internal audit system where in the case of staff loans there are no adequate collaterals. Similarly the SSHFC Internal Audit does not show any linkage between income from rents and rental contracts, while there are no adequate agreements in place for loans that are already disbursed, not to mention the lack of unannounced spot check on cash counts and collection centres. Overall the auditors noted ineffectiveness in the institution’s internal audit function. This is clearly a recipe for abuse of office and corruption.
Several outstanding rent payments going into millions remain since 2012. There is no documented housing policy manual for mortgage defaulters and re-allocation, while many investments are not performing well especially under the National Provident Fund. This means not only does the corporation incur huge loses but this has also impacted negatively on interests for workers – which has been declining over the past 4 years. For example, in 2014 members obtained only 0.30% interest which reduced to 0.22% in 2015. Yet staffs, who the members employ and pay, could obtain salary increments and other benefits! Injustice!
The auditors have also detected that member institutions of SSHFC that have taken loans continue to default in payment to over D1.2 billion. Since 2013 there have been no repayments. Under the National Provident Fund, where most of us as ordinary workers contribute, SSHFC engages in a lot of high risk investment going into millions that is not paying dividend. One wonders why they would continue to put workers’ money into ventures that are risky when they could have considered risk-free and profitable investments such as treasury bills and bank term deposits among others.
Apart from all of these, and despite the fact that the corporation owns Ocean Bay Hotel, GTSC and other investments yet very minimal goods and services are provided to workers. Yes SSHFC supports some wards in EFSTH and provide scholarships as well, but someone who has worked for 30 years and retired must be able to obtain other goods and services other than his usual pension even if that person was only contributing D500 every month for 30 years. This is because it was that person’s monthly D500 contribution that enabled SSHFC to make those other investments for which it realised huge profits.
Given the above I strongly urge that we need a commission of inquiry so that this institution could be reformed properly to become a true sanctuary for workers. By subjecting SSHFC to a public scrutiny it will also serve to highlight the inefficiency, mismanagement and corruption in our entire public corporations so that there could be reforms in all of them. Through this commission we will be able to determine the correctness or not of the decisions and actions of Manjang as well as the allegations of the staffs so that justice could be done. Hence let us demand that this process starts with Social Security.
For the Gambia Our Homeland. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2018 : 19:20:37
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NO COMMENT.
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By Yankuba Jallow
The National Assembly Select Committee on Public Enterprise, Thursday July 26th 2018, sent the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation parking, to update their activity report for the year 2015.
Speaking to representatives of the Corporation, the Chairman of the Select Committee Halifa Sallah, said the clerk of the Committee will discuss with the Corporation on when next they should appear before them.
“We will want you to update your activity report so that it can reflect the financial status and transactions in your financial statements,” Halifa told them.
Members of the Select Committee unanimously agreed, that the Corporation should furnish them with a detailed activity report that reflects the financial status and the transaction of the Corporation.
Sallah cited Section 175 (5) of the 1997 Constitution which states: “A Public Enterprise shall, within three months of the end of its financial year, submit an annual report to the National Assembly on its businesses and operations during the preceding year, provided that the appropriate committee of the National Assembly may extend the time for the submission of the report.’’
“Activity reports should entail details of the businesses and operations of the Corporation for the period for which the profit and loss account, and balance sheet have been returned. The activity report should be linked to the reports of the auditors and the GPPA, for the exercise to be comprehensive and complete,” Sallah stressed.
Sallah pointed out that the auditors should furnish invariably, whether they obtained all the information and explanations required by them and whether the balance sheet and accounts of the Corporation are properly drawn, so as to exhibit a true and fair view of their affairs.
“Our duty is to assess the facts presented to us by those charged with the Governance and management of the Corporation, with the view to transmit resolutions, recommendations and reports to the National Assembly, to promote system and operational improvements or make proposals for legislation,” he said.
Sallah said they have powers as provided in Section 109 of the Constitution, to examine the facts presented to them, enquire from those charged with the responsibility of the management of the affairs of public enterprises.
“The activity report and financial statement presented to us on the 24th of July 2018, indicate at page two the general information, the composition of the Board of Directors in 2015. It would be useful to have them around, to unravel the facts which emerged during the short administration, ” Sallah stated.
The National Assembly Member for Serrekunda Constituency said from the report, it is gathered that the Corporation is administering and managing the following funds: Federated Pension Fund, National Provident Fund, Housing Finance Fund and Industrial Compensation Fund.
“The activity report should detail the business transactions and other operations of these funds which should be captured in the income statement, balance sheet, statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows,” he said.
He raised the question on whether the activity report has the activity presented in the business transactions and other operations of each of the funds established by the Corporation for the year ended December 2015 and the issue of whether the activity report indicated the initiation of investment policies that yielded reasonable returns to members of the Corporation. “Has it revealed the payment of benefits to members? Has the report provided affordable housing schemes? Have the auditors furnished us on whether they have obtained all the information and explanation required by them and whether the balance sheet and accounts of the Corporation are properly drawn, so as to establish the true and fair view of the affairs of the Corporation? Have they conveyed weaknesses in the accounting system of internal control that could lead to material losses or misstatements of the financial statement?” Sallah asked.
Muhammed Magassy, the National Assembly member for Basse, asked the representatives of the Corporation questions about the sponsorship of students. He asked the total number of students the Corporation is sponsoring and the institutions they are attending; that it is the responsibility of Government to execute programmes and not the Corporation.
Alagie Jawara, the Member for Lower Badibou and Vice Chairman of the Committee, asked the amount disbursed by the Corporation for NayConf and their mandate to do this.
In their response, the Management of the Corporation agreed to all the issues raised by the Deputies adding that the current management of the Corporation will focus on its core mandate as provided in the SSHFC Act. On the sponsorship rendered to the NaYConf, the Management said they did so as their Corporate Social Responsibility.
The Committee held that the Corporation should go back and update their activity report on the year 2015, for it to be more suitable for presentation.
http://foroyaa.gm/sshfc-told-to-update-2015-report/
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quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
Today I had a thought, (I do have them sometimes )
PLEASE SEE THE RELATED TOPIC ABOVE LINK
I wonder if my friends wife can recover those lost payments for herself and my late friends children,IF she can,how would she proceed ?
I do have her details and can pass the information on,come on Bantaba experts try a post on this topic & make some suggestions,he did have in addition to his wife 8 children,now living in the usual Gambian style of MOST of the population !!!
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2018 : 13:29:54
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Embattled Social Security MD sent on leave
The point: Thursday, August 30, 2018
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/embattled-social-security-md-sent-on-leave
The managing director of the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), Muhammed Manjang, has been asked to go on leave as the standoff between him and some staff of the corporation falls under Presidential Investigation.
A source that spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity said Mr. Manjang received his letter yesterday in the afternoon. The circumstances surrounding the SSHFC boss going on leave could not be established at the time of gathering the report. However, it’s believed that it’s as a result of the ongoing saga that grapples the institution for some months.
Meanwhile, Social Security staff representative at the institution’s board, Momodou Camara, was also suspended last week.
Angry staff on Tuesday locked the institution’s main gate for nearly five hours and denied staff from entering the building in demand for Mr. Manjang leaving. The matter was believed to be resolved by top security officials in the country after their intervention. However, President Adama Barrow Wednesday launched an investigation panel to probe the circumstances surrounding the whole sage.
The institution was hit by ‘staff-manger sage’ after staff accused their boss of corruption, abuse of office, and nepotism. This followed a petition they filed earlier this year to the then PAC/PEC committees of the National Assembly among other relevant stakeholders. However, MD Muhammed Manjang has since denied any wrongdoing.
Author: Momodou Jawo |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2018 : 13:34:22
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Culled from Ndey Jobarteh's FB wall
Revisiting SSHFC under the leadership of the disgruntled staff!! Did you hear them protest?
Did they demand resignation of the leadership?
Below are some facts for your perusal:
• D1.7 Billion to Kanilai International Group (KGI) sourced from SSHFC Director of Finance Abdoulie Cham at the Janneh Commission
• $4.5 Million for the Purchase of a State Aircraft sourced from SSHFC Director of Finance Abdoulie Cham at the Janneh Commission
• GRTS and the GGC also received D 37 million and D 222 million respectively sourced from SSHFC Director of Finance Abdoulie Cham at the Janneh Commission
• D 9.2 Million for GRTS to broadcast the games of the 2013-14 CAF and European League sourced from SSHFC Director of Finance Abdoulie Cham at the Janneh Commission
• D118 Million to Nawec sourced from SSHFC Former MD Edward Graham at the Janneh Commission
• € 35 Million Invested in Gam petroleum sourced from SSHFC former MD Tumbul K Danso at the Janneh Commission
• D130 million loaned to staff sourced from Internal SSHFC financial statements and confirmed by current MD Manjang during his interview with Fatu Radio
• Audit carried out by National Audit Office from March 2013 to February 2016 found the 1) D67.5 Million agreement with Gai Enterprises in March 2013 for construction of Roads at Brikama and Tujering Housing Estates for payment that should have been for D35.9 Million. Therefore D23.6 Million was a fraudulent transaction and 2) D30 Million losses made through a purchase of land at Makimbaya in 2009
• Undocumented cash withdrawals of $1 Million were made from SSHFC by staff during the political impasse sourced from the Janneh Commission
Source Gandi Jnr
#SSHFC |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2018 : 13:36:43
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President Barrow Launches SSHFC Investigative Panel
The State House - Gambia: Aug 29, 2018
https://statehouse.gov.gm/president-barrow-launches-sshfc-investigative-panel
President Barrow has inaugurated a six-member panel to look into matters at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC). It is headed by Mr. Momodou Samateh, the current Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC), who has extensive national and international experience in public administration.
The panel has a period of one month to present a comprehensive report to the President. The findings will also inform the government’s policy on crisis management in public enterprises and parastatals in the country.
In his inaugural remark, President Barrow said: “In our new democracy, we have to identify people who have the capacity, professional ethics and honesty to take responsibility. It is in this context that members have been chosen to constitute this panel.”
The Chairman of the Panel, Mr. Momodu Samateh, appreciated the honor bestowed on the panelists with admiration of their experience and knowledge in the execution of the task that lies ahead. He went to say the team is expected to do a good job that could that be used on the management of other public-private enterprises in the country.
Mr. Samateh committed that they would dedicate time to the assignment, and would be fair in the execution of task so that the nation can move forward. “It is a part of nation building. We are not doing this job for the president. We are doing it for ourselves, for posterity and for all Gambians,” he added.
Other members of the Panel are equally experts and respectable members of society: former Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Crispin Grey-Johnson, Hon. Alieu Ngum, Mrs. Nelly Taylor and Alhaji Tamu Njie and Nyallo Barrow.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2018 : 17:50:48
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NO Comment .
I have no knowledge of Fred Shapiro or his book.
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........"However, the forthcoming Dictionary of Modern Proverbs, to be published by Yale University Press, quotes Henry Peterson testifying at 1974 Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Earl J. Silbert to be United States Attorney: “I would say, ‘Follow the money, Earl, because that’s where it’s going to be.’ Unfortunately, we did not get it following the money because the records were either nonexistent or were destroyed.”
The DMP also quotes a 1975 book by Clive Borrell and Brian Cashinella, Crime in Britain Today: “Mr [James] Crane usually offers this piece of sound advice to all new officers joining his fraud department: ‘Always follow the money. Inevitably it will lead to an oak-paneled door and behind it will be Mr Big.’ It is a tip that has paid off in scores of cases.”
http://freakonomics.com/2011/09/23/follow-the-money/ |
Edited by - toubab1020 on 30 Aug 2018 18:01:40 |
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2018 : 11:02:59
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Thursday, August 30, 2018
President Barrow has inaugurated a six-member panel to look into matters at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC). It is headed by Mr. Momodou Samateh, the current Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC), who has extensive national and international experience in public administration.
The panel has a period of one month to present a comprehensive report to the President. The findings will also inform the government’s policy on crisis management in public enterprises and parastatals in the country.
In his inaugural remark, President Barrow said: “In our new democracy, we have to identify people who have the capacity, professional ethics and honesty to take responsibility. It is in this context that members have been chosen to constitute this panel.”
The Chairman of the Panel, Mr. Momodu Samateh, appreciated the honour bestowed on the panelists with admiration of their experience and knowledge in the execution of the task that lies ahead. He went to say the team is expected to do a good job that could be used on the management of other public-private enterprises in the country.
Mr. Samateh committed that they would dedicate time to the assignment, and would be fair in the execution of task so that the nation can move forward. “It is a part of nation building. We are not doing this job for the president. We are doing it for ourselves, for posterity and for all Gambians,” he added.
Other members of the Panel are equally experts and respectable members of society: former Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Crispin Grey-Johnson, Hon. Alieu Ngum, Mrs. Nelly Taylor and Alhaji Tamu Njie and Nyallo Barrow.
Author: Source: State House
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/barrow-launches-sshfc-investigative-panel |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2018 : 14:21:13
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AGREED .The New Gambia is awash with Inquiries and Commissions at the moment the aims of which are laudable,their conclusions and Presidential actions on these are awaited.There is nothing to be gained until the aforegoing has been initiated, EXCEPT to keep these matters in the public eye until the results are know and any action taken has been implemented to transparently show that a clean slate exists
in Adama Barrow's vision for a NEW GAMBIA in which GREED, Dishonisy,confusion, cease to exist and development and trust are restored in the thinking and ACTIONS of ALL Gambians,and those who live or work in Gambia from whichever country they come from.
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August 31, 2018
Suspension is not the way to contain a crisis. The establishment of an instrument to inquire into the causes of contradictions within a state enterprise or institution should not be accompanied by measures that would interfere with the status quo which is to be investigated. Once any other person is given responsibility to perform duties that were performed by those who are a subject of an inquiry, the status quo would change.
In our view what is reasonable and justifiable to ensure an independent and impartial inquiry is to restore the status quo which gave rise to allegations which are to be inquired into. In this way, all the facts could be gathered and reviewed to draw appropriate conclusions.
http://foroyaa.gm/social-security-in-focus/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 01 Sep 2018 14:24:35 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2018 : 12:42:01
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Social Security Members call for non-interference
Foroyaa: September 10, 2018
By: Kebba AF Touray
http://foroyaa.gm/social-security-members-call-for-non-interference/
A group of people calling themselves Members of the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation[SSHFC], have called for interference of the government in the running of the corporation. They expressed this view at a meeting held on Saturday at the B O Semega Janneh Hall.
This meeting is a follow-up to the meeting held a week before. These SSHFC Members and their Board Representative were supposed to report on a meeting with the Vice President, with a view to resolving the Corporation’s ongoing saga.
The meeting was attended by scores of the Members and Board members, and has availed these members the opportunity to interact, clarify their doubts and put their concerns to the Board.
Dilating on the Board Representative Meeting with the Vice President report, Tamsir Sallah, said they had a meeting with the Vice President on Wednesday 5th September 2018 and a frank discussion with him.
He said that The Chairman of the Board put forward the concerns of the Board to the Vice President, that as a board and they should be given the trust they deserve to discharge their obligation and he promised that without government interference, the board would be able to deliver to expectation.
He added: “We appealed to them that as far as governance issues of Social Security is concerned, it should rest on the board, as provided by the…. Act. By virtue of that and what was heard from the members, there should be no government interference in the governance issue of the Social Security, because by doing so that means that they are also obstructing the powers vested in the Board, meaning that they don’t have any trust and confidence in the Board”.
Sallah emphasized that the Board should be fully left to decide on the ways and manners Social Security should operate as far as policy and disciplinary issues are concerned and that the Board should be allowed to deliberate and make decisions on the governance of Social Security.
“There was also a call for the Managing Director on leave to resume work and that the Investigative Panel instituted by the government to be put on halt. We requested for non-government interference, members stand by the decisions of the Board and that the investigative Panel be dissolved or put to stop”, he said.
He said they were made to know by the Vice President that as far as the Chairman of the Board is concerned, it is the government that appoints the Chairman of the Board and the Managing Director of the Social Security, citing them as the agents of government on issues regarding Social Security, in view of which the government had to constitute an investigative panel to probe into the issues and report back to them, from which they will make their decisions. He added that the VP assured them that the government will not undermine the credibility of the board.
Sallah assured the members that the Board will be resolute and will not relent in its efforts to making sure policy issues concerning Social Security will be diligently reviewed and will not compromise with critical issues of the Social Security, while urging the membership to be calm and allow the investigation to go ahead.
Ashyme Saine Kah, on the report on the Members of SSHFC and the Vice President, explicated that the Board and Members were invited by the Vice President, during which the Vice President showed them appreciation of the stand of the members and due to the many allegations levied against the MD, they have come up with the investigative panel to probe into the issue.
“My response to that was that we checked the constitution and what we saw was that section 175 is saying that if there is any panel that is supposed to be setup, it should be the Commission of Inquiry and not an investigative panel, because the problem is we don’t want anybody to undermine the Board, because we said in our resolution that the Members are fully behind the Board and the recommendations of the Board,” she explained. She further said that the Vice President expressed his appreciation but added that because of the allegations that the Social Security Staff are coming up with, they need another investigative panel outside to look into the allegation and give a recommendation.
She was concerned with the government trying to undermine the decisions of the Board. She said they put to them that whatever the outcome of the panel, they are also protecting their interest and they realised that the only person who can do that is the Managing Director.
She further said: “We told them that we cannot make any confirmation, because we are there on behalf of the members, but will convey the message to the members for them to discuss it in today’s meeting and whatever we have will be put in writing and send it to the government through the Board to know what our stand.”
Members have called for the full independence of the Board from government interference, a halt to the investigative panel, the Managing Director to resume work, who they said is on an administrative leave.
The members also recommended for the SSHFC Act to be reviewed, the Board to address Finance Ministry’s interference in the affairs of SSHFC, thorough audit of Social Security and the restructuring of the SSHFC among others.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2018 : 14:31:41
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#StateHouseToday
THE SSHFC FACT-FINDING REPORT PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT
His Excellency, President Adama Barrow has been presented with the findings report of the presidential inquiry set up to look into matters of industrial actions undertaken by staff of Social Security Housing Finance Corporation against their Managing Director.
According to the Chairman of the Panel, the report highlights a series of serious cases of procedural impropriety, and lapses in adhering to the extant rules and regulations governing the conduct and actions of public/civil servants. While summing up the issue as a classic example of organisational resistance to change, he said it is strongly recommended that individuals found wanting in breaking the law and other service rules be disciplined.
In receiving the report, the President thanked the panelist’s for a job well done indicating that “they’ve made his job simple”. He said the outcome of the findings would help ensure that public institutions smoothly perform their mandate. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2018 : 18:39:10
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A first step in the right direction,BUT the facts still exist that the SSHFC has been found badly wanting in the past,can and will this be remedied in the future in the vision of the New Gambia?
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
#StateHouseToday
THE SSHFC FACT-FINDING REPORT PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT
His Excellency, President Adama Barrow has been presented with the findings report of the presidential inquiry set up to look into matters of industrial actions undertaken by staff of Social Security Housing Finance Corporation against their Managing Director.
According to the Chairman of the Panel, the report highlights a series of serious cases of procedural impropriety, and lapses in adhering to the extant rules and regulations governing the conduct and actions of public/civil servants. While summing up the issue as a classic example of organisational resistance to change, he said it is strongly recommended that individuals found wanting in breaking the law and other service rules be disciplined.
In receiving the report, the President thanked the panelist’s for a job well done indicating that “they’ve made his job simple”. He said the outcome of the findings would help ensure that public institutions smoothly perform their mandate.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2018 : 15:16:46
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Report on Social Security to help gov’t make correct decision: Barrow
The Point: Friday, October 19, 2018
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/report-on-social-security-to-help-govt-make-correct-decision-barrow
 President Adama Barrow has stated that the panel report on Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) will help the government take a correct decision.
“I will sit down with my team to make sure that we look at the report and if there is need to consult you, we will consult you to make decision in the best interest of The Gambia and in the interest of Social Security, and in the interest of the workers with a view to move this country forward,” the president said.
Mr. Barrow was speaking at State House as the SSHFC panel on Thursday morning presented to him their findings at State House in Banjul.
President Barrow thanked the panel for accepting to be part of this assignment. “We have been tested, but with the cooperation of every Gambian, we can build a strong foundation for our democracy to move this country forward as it is the only way others can help.”
“We acknowledge the good work of the panel about the assignment they were tasked with, and we thank them for completing the assignment in a very short period. They took the assignment very seriously and I think everybody is waiting for this assignment.”
The chairman of the SSHFC Panel, Lamin Samateh, said that they have gone beyond the dispute within the organisation as required in their terms of reference. “We have looked at the structural and systematic weaknesses of the corporation and have come out with recommendations.”
Mr. Samateh noted that it is the view of the panel that the people who have broken the law, the regulations and the staff rules during the crisis be disciplined by the board. “Rule of law and stability at our work places must be maintained in order to bring about the benefits of development to the people. There were serious lapses the way the staff expressed their concerns, redress and settlement.”
“In tracing the background and causes of the crisis, the panel established that on assuming duty the managing director Muhammed Manjang has found the institution in severe financial and management distress. He had then set out to address some of the problems discovered by embarking on a number of cost-cutting measures. He did not at the time appear to have provoked resistance from the staff.”
He said part of the measures he chose to address was through the commissioning of an institutional assessment and staff audit of the corporation by an independent consultancy firm. “The report of that exercise made a number of recommendations whose implementations would mean that staff would have to be retrenched or redeploy; appointment or promotion would need to be rationalised and staff skills would have to be looked at against the functions the staff carry out. Apparently, this information got to be known to the staff after a management meeting at which the report has been discussed,” he stressed.
Mr. Samateh said generally, the panel observed that the corporation needs reforms as it has suffered severely of bad governance of the recent decades. “The panel therefore recommends the full details of the recommendations of the consultancy report entitle: ‘Institutional Assessment and Human Resource Audit’ by the consultant Senghore Associates. The implementation of the report will be beneficial to the owners of the corporation and the staff. We have recommended that the board be supported for the implementation of the reforms”
Author: Momodou Jawo |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12308 Posts |
Posted - 20 Oct 2018 : 16:09:33
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By: Kebba AF Touray October 19, 2018
Following the completion of their investigations into the industrial dispute at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), the Investigative Panel submitted their report to the President yesterday October i8th at State House.
A six member panel was on the 28th August 2018, constituted by President Barrow and tasked with the responsibility of probing into the aforesaid industrial saga that erupted at the said Corporation.
Presenting the report to the President, the Chairperson of the panel Lamin Samateh, said they completed their assignment with interviews conducted for some staff, and looked at the Staff complaints in their petition, and various incidents that happened during the saga, structural and systemic weaknesses of the Corporation as stipulated in their TOR, and came up with recommendations.
“In tracing the background and causes of the crises, the panel established that on assuming duty, the Managing Director Muhammed Manjang found the institution in severe financial and management distress. We had then set out to address some of the problems discovered by embarking on a number of cross cutting measures which did not at the time, appear to have provoked resistance from the staff,” he said; that part of the measures they chose to address, was through the commissioning of the institutional assessment and staff audit of the Corporation by an independent consultancy firm, and a report of that exercise with a number of recommendations with implementations, would mean that the staff would have to be entrenched or redeployed, appointment and promotions would need to rationalize; that Staff skills would have to be looked at against the functions they carry out.
He said the panel observed that the Corporation generally needs reforms, as it has severely suffered from bad governance of recent decades and the panel thus recommended the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the consultancy report entitled: Institutional Assessment and Human Resources Audit, by Senghore Associates.
“The implementation of the recommendations in the report, will be beneficial to the owners of the Corporation who are the Pensioners and the Contributors. It could also be beneficial to the staff who are the trustees and of course the country at large”, he said.
He disclosed that change is absolutely necessary at the SSHFC and those who may be charged to bring about reforms, must communicate effectively with all who may be affected; that the panel recommended that the Board of Directors responsible for policy formulation and overall management and control of the Corporation, be supported strongly in the reform process.
“The panel also sees the need for the Board to request for expertise in the reform process implementation, to help the board and management ensure full implementation of the proposed reforms,” he said; that the panel is of the view that those who have broken the Laws and regulations and staff rules during the crises, be disciplined by the board, saying that rule of law and stability at workplaces, must be maintained in order to bring about the benefits of development to the people, with particular reference to Section 15 subsection 2, and Section 139 of the Labor Act 2007, and subsection 3 of the Ombudsman Act of 1997, and Section 9 of the Public Order Act, as well as 0504 of the Service Rules of the Corporation; that there were serious lapses in the way staff expressed their concerns for redress and settlement, and thus contraband these sections.
On his part, the President thanked the panel for the good jobdone, which he cited is a test to the country’s democracy; that with the cooperation of the citizenry is a strong foundation that can be built for the nation’s democracy.
“The report will help Government in making decisions. I will sit down with my team and make sure we look at the report. If there is the need to consult you, we will, in order to make a correct decision in the interest of the Gambia, in the interest of Social Security, and in the interest of workers in this country”, he concludes.
http://foroyaa.gm/sshfc-investigative-panel-submit-report-to-president/ |
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Theft of poor pensioners funds.
